1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention is an improvement in a suspension system, particularly a suspension system for an individual vehicle wheel, as found, for example, in single track vehicles such as motorcycles and the like. The present invention functions both as the interconnection or suspension system for such an individual vehicle wheel, and a self-aligning device whereby the wheel remains correctly oriented with respect to the frame of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art suspension devices are noted in the copending parent application Ser. No. 823,057, and to my present knowledge the prior art is devoid of a suspension system which allows the individual wheel, of a motorcycle, for example, to be both suspended with respect to a vehicle frame, and also automatically realigned regardless of any side loadings on the wheel, relative to the frame of the vehicle. The present invention is an improvement upon devices characterized by having a transversely extending axle, wherein it is necessary to maintain this axle perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of rotation of the wheel, regardless of relative axle movement. The present invention allows the transverse axle to move, in order to absorb shock, but only so that the transverse axle always remains perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of rotation of the vehicle wheel. Known prior art vehicle stabilizing systems generally employ mechanical linkage or hydraulic systems for suspending a pair of automobile wheels, for example, wherein each of the two wheels is at opposite ends of a rigid axle assembly. In distinction, the present invention is concerned with orienting a single wheel of any vehicle, and particularly, a single track vehicle such as a motorcycle, whereby the device will independently align this single wheel and axle assembly, with respect to the vehicle frame. The present invention is not at all concerned with orienting the frame of the vehicle with respect to a ground reference point, for example; rather, the present invention has as its sole and particular utility the maintaining of the certain relationship between the plane of rotation of a wheel and the surrounding vehicle frame.